Parents of Priesthorpe Pupils Demand Consultation on New Changes.
- av: Gina Kirby
- mottagare: The Governors, Priesthorpe School, Priesthorpe Lane, Pudsey, LS28 5SG
At Priesthorpe School, changes to the pastoral tutoring system, and a subsequent change in school start and finish times have been implemented without any consultation with parents, carers or teachers. These radical changes have been forced upon Priesthorpe School and will take effect in September 2013 unless we act now.
Teachers were not consulted on this matter, but were called to a meeting where they were told what those changes were to be. On or around the same day, letters were sent home to parents and carers, who were also told what changes are to take place. Again, no consultation has taken place at all and given the huges implications of these changes, this is unacceptable.
We understand that the new Head Teacher, Martin Blacoe, wishes to take the school from its current OFSTED ranking of 'Good' - a ranking achieved under the headship of Mr Hall - to 'Excellent'. However, we feel that the sweeping changes that he has made should not be implemented without full and proper consultation with parents and especially with teachers.
As parents, we feel that the welfare and happiness of both pupils and teachers is far more important than the rush to create the appearance excellence in time for the next OFSTEAD evaluation.
The main changes that have been implemented are:
1. That current pastoral tutor groups be disbanded in favour of smaller 'coaching' groups, which will in many cases be headed-up by unqualified, non-teaching staff. Your son or daughter's 'coach' may end up being a member of the administration or auxiliary staff rather than a qualified teacher. The coaching system has never been properly or fully evaluated anywhere and the fact remains that this system has actually failed in other schools. We feel that regardless of Mr Blacoe's claims of the success of this system at his last school, it does not necessarily follow that coaching would work at Priesthorpe.
2. An earlier start for pupils. Mid-winter mornings are already hazardous for many children who have to walk to school in semi-darkness. This problem will be further exacerbated by an even earlier start. In addition to this, teachers’ working hours will be extended, but their salary will not be increased.
3. Different finishing times on each day of the week. For working parents - whose working hours have been devised to fit in with school finishing times, or for pupils who walk down to Farfield and other Primary Schools to collect siblings, the staggered hours are not only confusing, they are potentially very problematical.
While alterations for the sake of improvement are always welcomed, these drastic changes have been hurriedly implemented with no respect for the opinion of either parents or teachers. As such we ask that a full and proper consultation including parents, carers and teachers be undertaken before any of these changes are implemented and that case-studies of the successes and failures of the coaching system are fully examined before being considered for implementation at Priesthorpe.
Dear Sirs,
We, the parents of Preisthorpe pupils respectfully request that a full and open consultaion between the staff, parents and head teacher of Priesthorpe School takes place as soon as possible to discuss and evaluate the changes that Mr Blacoe has implemented without any consultation with staff or parents.
The changes to the pastoral care system will have a drastic effect both on new pupils who have only just found their feet at Priesthorpe and on older pupils who are settled and secure with the tutor-group mentor on whom they have relied for care and support since year 7. The potential impact could be devastating, particularly in view of the fact that the coaching system has never been properly or fully evaluated and that this system has actually failed in other schools.
In addition to this, different finishing times on different days is confusing and problematical, particularly for working parents or pupils who have to collect siblings from local primary schools. Also, an earlier start for pupils in mid-winter mornings means that many more children will have to walk to school in semi-darkness. In addition to this, teachers’ in-school working hours will be extended, but their salary will not be increased.
We ask that there be a full and frank consultation with all relevant parties: parents, carers, teachers and pupils; before any of these radical and somewhat experimental changes go ahead.
genom att skriva under accepterar du användarvillkor för Care2 Du kan hantera dina epostabonnemang när som helst.
Har problem med att skriva under detta? Låt oss veta.